STOP THE CONSTRUCTION! SAVE KRUS NA LIGAS FROM EPALS!

NO MORE EPAL MOVEMENT

26 October 2012


Contact: Betty Romero (No More Epal) 0917 821 7227

   Kate Lim (Dakila) 0917 708 0988

(DISCLAIMER: Any opinions written in this post are Dakila Philippines' own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Naga City Deck and/or NCD Contributor)

STOP THE CONSTRUCTION! SAVE KRUS NA LIGAS FROM EPALS!

The No More EPAL Movement and Dakila joins the Krus Na Ligas Community in UP Diliman, Quezon City, today, October 28, 1pm at the Krus na Ligas Covered Courtin their resistance against the intent of their Barangay Captain Julian Santos to construct a building right on Plaza Sta. Ines in front of their parish church.

To deliver solidarity speeches in creative satire are Juana Change (Mae Paner) and cultural activist Carlos Celdran.

The public action is initiated by the Krus Na Ligas community headed by its parish priest Rev. Fr. Ron Roberto and supported by the Krus na Ligas High School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) represented by Mr. Mamaril, and SK Councilor Mark Carlo Francisco.

Lola Kika, one of the oldest resident of the community will also deliver a solidarity message.

The construction plan, backed by Quezon City Councilor Vince Belmonte, is being pushed down the throats of the Krus na Ligas residents, who value their plaza as the only public space available in their barangay.

The Barangay Chairman intends to push through with this completely unpopular plan despite:

• The significance of the plaza and church to the history of nation-building—not only to local history; 

• The congested character of the Barangay, which makes the plaza their irreplaceable,  non-negotiable common open space; 

• The clear public rejection of impunity on the part of the Barangay leader; 

• The obvious lack of merit of a construction project in a barangay that already has an under-utilized barangay hall; 

• The shadow of doubt hovering over the Barangay Chairman, who owns a construction company—a company, moreover, that has accepted part of a barangay construction project, in clear dismissal of conflict of interest considerations; and 

• The community’s arguments against this exercise of impunity by their local leader.

The NO MORE EPAL MOVEMENT recognizes this fight of the Krus na Ligas community against their local leader, as a clear example of trapo leadership. It is a leadership that cares little for their own constituency’s interests and aspirations.

The Barangay Chairman of Krus na Ligas, and his enabler Councilor Vince Belmonte, demonstrate in their deafness of the calls of this Quezon City community, their idea that leaders can do anything they please. They think they are entitled to autocratic powers. They think their ideas and actions are above public debate.

The NO MORE EPAL MOVEMENT believes that this kind of impunity is of the same wicked spirit as using public funds to plaster their mugs and names all over public space.

Constructing a 2 story building on a plaza built in a place that the National Historical Institute has marked as the site where Andres Bonifacion and his Katipunan cohorts would retreat from Balintawak—this desecration of a space held in the heart of nationalists, among them, the Krus na Ligas residents—this spits on community honor and right to well-being.

The NO MORE EPAL MOVEMENT encourages all right-thinking citizens to join with the Krus na Ligas residents in persuading their Barangay Chairman and Councilor Vince Belmonte to have a change of heart.

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PEOPLE POWER SAVES KRUS NA LIGAS FROM EPALs

NO MORE EPAL MOVEMENT
29 October 2012

Contact: Betty Romero (No More Epal) 0917 821 7227
Kate Lim (Dakila) 0917 708 0988

(DISCLAIMER: Any opinions written in this post are Dakila Philippines' own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Naga City Deck and/or NCD Contributor)

PEOPLE POWER SAVES KRUS NA LIGAS FROM EPALs

The National Historical Institute issued an order to stop the construction of the expansion of the Krus na Ligas Barangay Hall named as Belmonte Hall, a priority project of Councilor Vincent Belmonte.

The No More EPAL Movement and Dakila joined the Krus Na Ligas Community in UP Diliman, Quezon City, yesterday, October 28, at the Krus na Ligas Covered Court in their protest assembly against the intent of their Barangay Captain Julian Santos to construct a building right on Plaza Sta. Ines in front of their parish church.

The public action was initiated by the Krus Na Ligas community headed by its parish priest Rev. Fr. Ron Roberto and supported by the Krus na Ligas High School Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), and SK Councilor Mark Carlo Francisco. Juana Change (Mae Paner), dressed as the ghost of a katipunera and historian Xiao Chua also addressed the crowd.

Lola Kika, a descendant of Katipunero Isabelo Tuazon and one of the oldest resident of the community delivered in a passionate speech, “Sa Plaza Ines tayo nagtaguan, nagtumbang preso, dito natin binuo ang ating mga pangarap at kasaysayan. Para sa pagmamahal at pagmamalasakit sa Krus na Ligas at mamamayan nito, Handa akong mamatay!"

The construction plan, backed by Quezon City Councilor Vince Belmonte, is being pushed down the throats of the Krus na Ligas residents, who value their plaza as the only public space available in their barangay.

According to historian Xiao Chua, “Ang Plaza ng Krus na Ligas ang dangal ng komunidad dahil nagging tagpuan ito ng Katipunan at pook ng pag-uusapan at pamumuhay ng maraming henerasyon.”

The Barangay Chairman intended to push through with this completely unpopular plan despite:

• The significance of the plaza and church to the history of nation-building—not only to local history;
• The congested character of the Barangay, which makes the plaza their irreplaceable, non-negotiable common open space;
• The clear public rejection of impunity on the part of the Barangay leader;
• The obvious lack of merit of a construction project in a barangay that already has an under-utilized barangay hall;
• The shadow of doubt hovering over the Barangay Chairman, who owns a construction company—a company, moreover, that has accepted part of a barangay construction project, in clear dismissal of conflict of interest considerations; and
• The community’s arguments against this exercise of impunity by their local leader.

Kate Lim of DAKILA and the NO MORE EPAL MOVEMENT in a statement said, “ This fight of the Krus na Ligas community against their local leader, is a clear example of trapo leadership. It is a leadership that cares little for their own constituency’s interests and aspirations. “

“The Barangay Chairman of Krus na Ligas, and his enabler Councilor Vince Belmonte, demonstrate in their deafness of the calls of this Quezon City community, their idea that leaders can do anything they please. They think they are entitled to autocratic powers. They think their ideas and actions are above public debate.” Lim added.

Betty Romero of the NO MORE EPAL MOVEMENT added, “This kind of impunity is of the same wicked spirit as using public funds to plaster their mugs and names all over public space. Constructing a 2 story building on a plaza built in a place that the National Historical Institute has marked as the site where Andres Bonifacion and his Katipunan cohorts would retreat from Balintawak—this desecration of a space held in the heart of nationalists, among them, the Krus na Ligas residents—this spits on community honor and right to well-being.”

Around 500 residents of Krus na Ligas joined the mass action yesterday aimed to demonstrate people power to stop the construction of the expansion of the Barangay Hall. The mass action ended with the community singing of the Krus na Ligas hymn.

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Dakila: Going Beyond Epal

PRESS STATEMENT from Dakila Philippines
01 October 2012
Contact:          Betty Romero (“No More Epal”): 0917 821 7227
                        Kate Lim (DAKILA): 0917 708 0988

(DISCLAIMER: Any opinions written in this post are Dakila Philippines' own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Naga City Deck and/or NCD Contributor)

GOING BEYOND “EPAL”

Manila – Today marks the beginning of the campaign season for the May 2013 mid-term elections. Over the next five days tens of thousands of political aspirants will file their certificates of candidacy in the hopes that they can acquire political office - the golden Ring of Power lusted for by many a political Gollum.  To this end, we have seen in the past few months efforts by individuals, mostly incumbents, to get their names and faces in front of the voters in the guise of public service, transparency and accountability – a practice known as “epal”.  Indeed, this practice was the trigger for the No More Epal Movement, as it saw the boiling over of the strange brew of Philippine politics in the form of “epalism”.  The public has responded to this movement by expressing its collective disgust at “epal” (as the thinly disguised practice of premature-campaigning) through social media, websites, blogs, editorials, social commentaries, letters to the editor, and the like.  Nary an independent nor sober voice can be heard that condones, advocates and supports “epal” behavior, save for the incumbents themselves.

“Epal”, the habit of politicians to claim personal credit for publicly funded projects and programs, accompanied by the need to stamp their names and faces on every square inch of public space, is recognized by the No More Epal Movement as merely symptomatic of the much deeper problems of our politics, i.e. patronage politics, campaign finance, personality based campaigning, weak political institutions and parties, corruption, and family dynasties.  A quick look at the unholy alliances being formed in order to complete a slate of 12 senatorial candidates speaks to many of these deep issues, where “winning at all costs” is the mantra of political strategists and is used as a substitute for “platforms of governance”, “issued based politics” and “political ideology”.   It is this utilitarian view that stands in the way of true political reform.

The No More Epal Movement has no illusions that it can significantly impact the outcome of the 2013 elections.  Instead, we see the upcoming elections as an observation point and a starting point for discussion among the public.  We ask that the public to stand as witness to the following over the coming months leading to elections:

- The lack of any substantive discussion by the candidates on essential issues such as freedom of information, reproductive health, human rights, the environment, good governance and anti-corruption;

- The insignificance of political parties, as political butterflies flutter from party to party and as unholy alliances form among erstwhile political rivals;

- The dominance of families and preponderance of family members running for multiple political positions despite the constitutional mandate for the State to prohibit political dynasties (Art. II, Sec. 26);

- The re-hashing of old, tired names aspiring to recapture political glory;

- Profligate spending by candidates and parties in the face of very clear campaign spending limits;

-Illegal use of government resources to support candidacies of political incumbents;

-The existence of political cartels at the local level that operate to limit choice;

- “Sarswela” campaigning, where glitz and glamour, song and dance blind the audience in a deliberate dumbing down of the campaign, instead of debating and discussing ideas, platforms and programs of governance.

This brand of politics is at the core of many of the country’s ills which range from state capture by the political and business elites which distorts policy and decision making to favor narrow family and/or business interests to grand graft and corruption.  It is a politics that concentrates power in the hands of a few established political families, while disempowering citizens.  It promotes the politics of patronage (as strongly evidenced by the credit grabbing by politicians and their “you should thank me” attitude).

Epal is only the symptom of a rotten political system that fails to address the needs and aspirations of the people it is meant to serve. The discussion on “epal” must now be steered away from the symptom to the disease, and to confront, analyze and finally find solutions for the deeply entrenched problems that bedevil our politics and political system.

 DAKILA - Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism
Unit 3A, VS1 Bldg., 34 Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City
Cellular: (0905) 4292539
Tel. No.:(02) 4354309
E-mail:   mabuhay@dakila.org.ph
Website: http://www.dakila.org.ph
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dakila.philippines
Follow us on Twitter: dakila_ph

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Dakila: Anti-Epal Activists highlight problems beyond Epal

PRESS RELEASE from Dakila Philippines
01 October 2012

Contact:                Betty Romero (“No More Epal”): 0917 821 7227
                                    Kate Lim (DAKILA): 0917 708 0988

(DISCLAIMER: Any opinions written in this post are Dakila Philippines' own and do not reflect the viewpoint of any other Naga City Deck and/or NCD Contributor)

Anti-Epal Activists highlight problems beyond Epal

Manila – Anti-Epal activists, led by Mae Paner dressed as the popular character Juana Change, trooped to the Comelec to join the thousands of political candidates to file their certificates of candidacy on the first day of filing for the May 2013 elections.  Candidates will have until the Friday, October 5 deadline to file their intention to run.

“I am here today to file my certificate of candidacy for the Epaliticians’ Party List, or EPaL, along with my family members who are also running for political office,” declared Paner as Juana Change.  “I have with me my Auntie Sen Change, husband Don Juan Change IV, my sister Yoko Change, my son Juan Change V, and my granddaughter Juanita ‘Luce’ Change. We call her ‘Bariya’. We are here to continue the legacy of Change that my late great grandfather started in 1898.  In Philippine politics, Change is inevitable. My father and mother are here to witness the continuation of the Change legacy. Even my great grandfather is here, but he’s in an urn,” added Paner wryly, tongue firmly in cheek.

Members of the No More Epal Movement joined the real filers today to highlight what it calls the “deeper problems of Philippine politics.”  In a press statement, the group said that the problem of “epal”, “the habit of politicians to claim personal credit for publicly funded projects and programs,” is only a symptom of the deeper problems of patronage politics, family dynasties, and campaign finance, among others.  “Many of our supporters have asked if we are only focused on the problem of ‘epal’.  Many have even suggested that we should go beyond epal,” said Vincent Lazatin, founder of the No More Epal Facebook page.  “We are here today to start a deepening of the discussion of our politics. Epal is merely a symptom of our rotten politics. We must direct our campaign to the real issues.”

Paner was accompanied by theater actors and members of Dakila, as the character Tita Sen Change, and other performance artists filling in the roles of Juana Change’s relatives.  “It may seem ridiculous to come here with members of the Change family all of whom intend to file their certificates of candidacy, but this is what our politics has become – a family business,” said Kate Lim from the artist group DAKILA.  “Look around and you will see mother, daughter, husband, son, brother, sister all running for various positions in politics.  It’s crazy.  We are here today to highlight just this one aspect of our politics, but there are so many other problems as well.  The No More Epal Campaign, which has been surprisingly popular, is really only an entry point to discuss the poor state of our politics and political institutions,” Lim added.

The anti-epal movement has gained a lot of popularity in recent months as an online campaign has caught the popular imagination.  Aside from online campaigns on the popular social networking site Facebook, there are websites and blogs that have taken up the anti-epal campaign.  Some public officials such as Mayors Alfredo Lim and Herbert Bautista of Manila and Quezon City, respectively, have ordered signs and billboards bearing their names and images taken down.  Both Mayors Lim and Bautista have separately said that the signs and billboards have been put up without their approval by their supporters.


DAKILA - Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism
Unit 3A, VS1 Bldg., 34 Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City
Cellular: (0905) 4292539
Tel. No.:(02) 4354309
E-mail:   mabuhay@dakila.org.ph
Website: http://www.dakila.org.ph
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dakila.philippines
Follow us on Twitter: dakila_ph

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